Debate winners Leslie Wyatt ’06 and Jennifer Golladay ’05
A West Point saber now resides among Mary Washington’s trophies for
the coming year – thanks to the debating skills of students Jennifer
Golladay ’05 and Leslie Wyatt ’06.
The two young women won first place at the West Point Invitational Debate
Tournament in October at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y. Golladay
and Wyatt defeated the University of Richmond in the finals to claim one of
the most coveted prizes in intercollegiate debate.
The 1967 antique U.S. Cavalry army saber has been won by schools such as Harvard
University, Dartmouth College and Cornell University. At the West Point tournament,
Golladay and Wyatt debated teams from Bard College, Boston College, Columbia
University, Cornell, New York University, Richmond and University of Rochester.
Students debated this topic: ”Resolved – the U.S. government should
establish an energy policy requiring a substantial reduction in the total
non-governmental consumption of fossil fuels in the United States.”
Coached by Assistant Professor Timothy M. O’Donnell of the English department,
the UMW debate team previously swept all three divisions in a tournament at
UR, winning first place in novice, junior varsity, and varsity. With all of
its victories, the team was well on its way to a record-winning year.